Friday, June 17, 2005
On Adult Friendship
"I wish we had some friends who lived here. All your friends are up north and all my friends are scattered all over the place."
"Yeah, I know. But I don't want to make any new friends."
"Why not?"
"I don't have the time. I'm always with the kid or working. And when I'm not doing that, I'm trying to write. And when I find a spare half-hour, I try to run. What time do I have to make a new friend?"
"It can happen. People make new friends, Will."
"Not me. It's too hard. Who would want to be friends with me? What am I going to do for them except tell them I'm too busy for them or bore them with stories about writing unpublishable novels and watching horror movies?"
"You have to make an effort."
"No I don't. I like my old friends. Adults don't make new friends. They make people to talk about work, weather, and sports with. They make people to be half-honest with."
"That's depressing."
"That's being grown-up."
"Yeah, I know. But I don't want to make any new friends."
"Why not?"
"I don't have the time. I'm always with the kid or working. And when I'm not doing that, I'm trying to write. And when I find a spare half-hour, I try to run. What time do I have to make a new friend?"
"It can happen. People make new friends, Will."
"Not me. It's too hard. Who would want to be friends with me? What am I going to do for them except tell them I'm too busy for them or bore them with stories about writing unpublishable novels and watching horror movies?"
"You have to make an effort."
"No I don't. I like my old friends. Adults don't make new friends. They make people to talk about work, weather, and sports with. They make people to be half-honest with."
"That's depressing."
"That's being grown-up."
